Hand sponge cleaner and wringer



April 17, 1956 J. PALMA, JR ET AL 2,741,787

HAND SPONGE CLEANER AND WRINGER Filed July 31, 1951 ATTORNEYS.

United States Pate HAND SPONGE CLEANER AND WRINGER Joseph Palina, Jr.,B'erwyn, and James G. Knapp, Lombard, 111., assignors, by mesneassignments, to American-Marietta Company, Chicago, lll., a corporationof Illinois Application July 31, 1951, Serial No. 239,583

3 Claims. (Cl. 15-419) This invention relates to a hand sponge cleanerand wringer.

An object of the invention is to provide a hand sponge cleaner andwringer therefor in which the sponge may be employed for cleaningpurposes and then quickly flushed by manipulating a cleaner structuresupported internally of the sponge body. A further object is to providea segmental sponge body equipped with wringer members interposed betweenthe segments of the sponge. A still further object is to provide ahandle-equipped sponge which may be employed for cleaning dishes andother articles or surfaces While the handle is supported away from theliquid and while providing means adjacent the handle for flushing orwringing the sponge, as desired. Other specific objects and advantageswill appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a handsponge cleaner embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a side view inelevation, a portion of the structure being shown in longitudinalsection; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the sponge incontracted position; and Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view, thesection being taken as indicated at line 44 of Fig. 2.

In the illustration given, designates a handle which may be formed ofplastic, wood, composition material, or any other suitable material. Thehandle 10 comprises an inclined portion 11 adapted to be grasped by thehand and an offset forward portion 12 provided with a longitudinalaperture 13. The aperture 13 is adapted to receive slideably a rodmember 14 having a reduced threaded end 15 threadably engaging athreaded recess in the knob or ring member 16. The rod 14 is preferablyprovided with square sides, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, and theopening or passage 13 in the offset portion 12 is also formed withsquare sides for snugly receiving the rod 14 so that the ring knob 16 isheld in a vertical plane for ready grasping when it is desired to pullthe rod 14.

The handle member 19 is provided at its forward end with a reducedportion 17 receiving thereon a collar 18 provided with a backing plateor flange 19 that is preferably integral but which may be a separatemember. Forwardly of the flange 19 are the sponge segments 20. Theforward end 21 of rod 14 is threaded and received within a nut 22equipped with an integral laterally-extending draw plate or plate flange23. The plate flange 23 is operative in conjunction with the stationarybacking flange 19 to squeeze the sponge body interposed therebetween.The plate 23 is anchored to the outermost sponge segment by adhesive orother suitable means and, since preferably sponge segments are used inlieu of a solid sponge body, centrally apertured discs 24 extend betweenthe intermediate sponge segments 2fl, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2and 3. A compression spring 25 lies between the reduced handleportion 17and the nut 22 and tends to hold the sponge segments in extendedrelation.

Operation In the operation of the sponge, the handle 10 is grasped andthe sponge is immersed in water and applied against dishes or othersurfaces which are to be cleaned. Since the supporting structures forthe sponge segments are located well within the interior of the spongesegments, the composite sponge may be used freely without bringing anyof such supporting structure into contact with the surfaces beingcleaned. When it is desired to squeeze the sponge, the member 16 may bedrawn rearwardly to contract the sponge segments, as illustrated in Fig.3. The plates 19, 23 and 24 serve asbearing surfaces for compressing thesponge segments to squeeze the liquid from the sponge members. Uponrelease of the member 16, the spring 25 urges the sponge segments backto the positions illustrated in Fig. 2.

In squeezing the sponge segments, the handle 10 may be grasped in onehand and the member 16 grasped in the other hand for effecting asqueezing of the sponge members; or, if desired, the handle 10 may begrasped in one hand and a finger of the same hand used for contractingthe sponge members.

The handle It) is inclined and has an offset portion 12 which enablesthe sponge device to be supported in any desired position. For example,in washing dishes, it is desirable to invert the structure from theposition shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 so that the handle 10 is inclineddownwardly and forwardly toward the mop body which will be immersed inthe water. When, however, cleaning elevated surfaces, the handle 10 maybe supported in the position shown in the figures.

While in the foregoing specification, we have set forth a specificstructure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating oneembodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details ofstructure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a sponge cleaner and wringer device for hand operation, a handleequipped with an offset end portion having a longitudinal passagetherethrough, a rod slidably mounted in said passage and equipped at itsrear with a draw knob, a relatively flat backing plate secured to theforward end of said offset portion and being apertured to permit saidrod to pass freely therethrough, a relatively fiat draw plate carried bythe forward end of said rod, a plurality of sponge segments interposedbetween said plates and a sponge segment carried upon the forward sideof said draw plate, and a relatively fiat plate interposed betweenadjacent sponge segments, all of said plates having substantially equaldimensions.

2. In a hand sponge cleaner and wringer, a handle extending rearwardlyand being inclined downwardly at a relatively sharp angle and beingequipped at its forward end with an upwardly-extending offset portionproviding a substantially vertical forward wall and having a horizontalpassage therethrough, a rod slidably mounted in said passage andextending forwardly therethrough and being equipped at its rear end witha draw ring, said draw ring being disposed in substantially abuttingrelation with said handle adjacent the forward end thereof, a relativelyflat backing plate secured to the forward wall of said offset portion, arelatively flat draw plate carried by the forward end of said rod, aplurality of sponge segments interposed between said plates and a spongesegment carried upon the forward side of said draw plate, and arelatively flat plate interposed between adjacent sponge segments, allof said plates having substantially equal dimensions.

3. In a sponge cleaner and wringer device of the character described, ahandle equipped with an offset end portion having a backing plateinabutting relation with the forward side thereof, a draw rod extendingthrough said backing plate and being movable along its longitudinal axisand with respect to the backing plate and said handle, a draw plateanchored to said rod at the forward end thereof, a plurality of platesinterposed between said backing plate and draw plate and slidablypassing said draw rod therethrough, a plurality of sponge segmentsinterposed between said backing plate and draw plate and being arrangedso that one of said last mentioned plates is positioned between each ofthe adjacent sponge segments, a sponge segment carried by said drawplate on the forward side thereof and being secured thereto, and meansbiasing said draw rod forwardly so r 4 a as to maintain said spongesegments in expanded condition.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,100,367Gambill, June 16, 1914 1,502,148 Magaton July 22, 1924 2,357,446 BendarSept. 5,1944 2,699,563 Duncan Jan. l8, i955 FOREIGN PATENTS 154,660Great Britain Nov. 30, 1920 243,064 Switzerland g Dec. 12, 1946 623,896Great Britain May 25, 1949 980,240 France Dec. 20, 1950

